V 


SCRIPTURAL  HISTORY  VERSIFIED, 


FROM 


THE  CREATION  TO  THE  FLOOD. 


FOR   THE    USE    OF 


SUNDAY    SCHOOLS 


COLUMBIA,   S.  C: 

SOUTH    CAROLINIAN    STEAM    TRESS. 
1863. 


* 


iH  rr<a 


FOR  SUNDAY  SCHOOLS 


The  following  is  an  attempt  to  versify  several  chapters  of  the  Book  of  Gen- 
esis— the  author  endeavoring  to  follow  the  language  of  the  Bible,  as  closely  and 
as  literally  as  practicable,  consistently  with  the  exigencies  of  rhyme  and  rhythm — 
not  even  omitting  the  repetitions  of  the  original  text.  Several  of  the  Parts  were 
originally  published,  under  the  poetic  head  of  the  Charleston  Courier.  By  re- 
quest of  several  ladies  and  Sunday  School  Teachers,  they  are  now  printed,  with 
additions,  in  pamphlet  form,  for  the  use  of  Sunday  Schools,  it  being  thought  that 
verse  may  serve  to  impress  more  deeply,  than  prose,  interesting  portions  of 
scriptural  history,  on  the  minds  and  memories  of  the  young. 


PART  I. 

THE  WORK  OF  CREATION.— THE   SIX   DAYS   OF  CREA- 
TION AND  THE  SEVENTH  DAY. 

[GENESIS,    CHAP.    I.    AND   CHAP.  II.,  YER.    1,    2,    3.] 

Tn  the  Beginning  of  the  world, 

Creation's  banner  God  unfurl'd; 

Created  He  both  Heav'n  and  Earth, 

In  this  wise  was  the  wondrous  birth. 

All  void  and  formless  was  the  Globe,  f 

And  veil'd  the  deep  with  darkness'  robe ; 

The  spirit  of  a  God  of -grace 

Mov'd  on  the  waters' troubled  face, 

Where  chaos  and  confusion  reign'd, 

Order  and  beauty  quick  obtain'd. 

The  Heavens,  by  His  word,  were  made, 

And  Earth's  foundations  surely  laid — 


V7Z2.I  J 


Stretch'd,  by  the  breathing  of  his  mouth, 
From  East  to  West,  from  North  to  South  : 
Thus  all  the  host  of  them  were  form'd, 
And  into  life  and  beauty  warin'd. 

Th'  Almighty  said,  "  Let  there  be  light!" 
And  light  there  was,  celestial  bright. 
God  saw  the  light  that  it  was  good, 
From  darkness  soon  it  parted  stood. 
Day  He  then  call'd  that  glorious  light, 
And  darkness  took  the  name  of  night. 
The  evening  and  the  morning  ray 
Together  form'd  the  Earth's  first  day. 

God  said,  "  Be  there  a  wide  expanse, 
Now  let  the  cleaving  line  advance, 
Waters  from  waters  to  divide, 
E'en  midway  through  the  yielding  tide." 
That  great  expanse,  the  firmament, 
Upper  from  lower  waters  rent, 
Heaven  God  nani'd  the  upper  sky, 
"  The  spacious  firmament  on  high." 
So  eve  and  morn's  alternate  ray 
Ended  in  peace  Earth's  second  day. 

God  spake — the  gather' d  waters  stand, 
And  to  the  sight  appears  dry  land. 
Earth  was  the  Land's  baptismal  name, 
And  that  of  Seas  the  waters  claim 
And,  as  the  work  divine  then  stood, 
Again  God  saw  that  it  was  good. 

He  said,  "Let  earth  with  grass  recruit, 
Herb  yielding  seed  and  tree  its  fruit ; 
Each  fram'd,  within  itself,  to  find 
Prolific  seed  of  its  own  kind." 
His  handiwork  pleas' d  well  His  sight, 
He  saw  'twas  good,  pronoune'd  it. right. 
Soft  twilight's  shade,  Aurora's'  dawn, 
The  third  day  clos'd  on  hill  and  lawn. 


Th'  Almighty  spake — "  Let  there  be  lights, 
To  separate  the  days  from  nights," 
Set  in  the  concave  firmament — 
The  Earth  to  light  their  chief  intent, 
Yet  serving  other  great  designs, 
For  seasons,  days  and  years  and  signs. 
God  spake — and  quickly  it  was  so, 
Sun,  moon  and  stars  their  lustre  show, 
The  greater  light  the  day  to  rule, 
The  lesser,  night  to  sway  and  cool — 
#  The  stars  also  th'  Almighty  made, 
To  spangle  the  nocturnal  shade. 
He  set  them  in  the  firmament, 
All  on  the  self-same  mission  sent, 
The  earth  to  gild  with  cheering  light, 
To  rule  o'er  day  and  rule  o'er  night; 
And  darkness  separate  from  light. 
God  view'd'the  work,  as  it  then  stood, 
And,  seeing,  saw  that  it  was  good. 
The  vesper  chaunt  and  matin  lay 
Begin  and  end  the  earth's  fourth  day. 

And  God  said,  "  Let  the  waters  brood, 
And  bring  forth,  in  prolific  mood, 
The  moving  creature,  that  hath  life, 
In  numbers  great,  abundance  rife ; 
And  fowl,  above  the  earth  to  fly, 
And  cleave,  with  feather'd  wing,  the  sky. 
He  made  great  whales  the  sea  to  roam, 
All  things  that  move  in  wat'ry  home. 
Th'  All-seeing  God  His  work  survey'd, 
Saw  all  was  good,  His  hand  had  made, 
Bless'd  all  that  walk,  or  swim  or  tly : 
"  Be  fruitful  ye  and  multiply ; 
Fish  fill  the  waters,  fowl  the  earth, 
Give  multitud'nous  offspring  birth." 
The  fifth  day's  eve  and  fifth  day's  morn, 
With  living  things,  the  sea  adorn. 

And  God  said,  "  Let'  prolific  earth 
All  living  creatures  now  bring  forth.: 


T5  n  *»    <*     i  a 


Let  cattle,  beast  and  creeping  thing 
Forthwith  into  existence  spring, 
Each  in  his  kind  be  fitly  made  f 
And  it  was  so,  as  God  had  said. 
His  glorious  work,  almost  complete, 
God  saw  that  it  was  good  and  meet.     • 

And  God  said,  "  Let  Us  now  make  man, 
The  crowning  work  of  our  great  plan : 
His  image  in  our  likeness  mould ; 
Dominion  let  him  lordly  hold 
O'er  fish  of  sea  and  fowl  of  air, 
O'er. cattle,  and  o'er  beast  in'lair, 
O'er  ev'ry  thing  on  earth  that  creeps, 
O'er  ev'ry  thing  that  wakes  and  sleeps." 
Thus,  in  God's  image,  man  was  made, 
In  God's  own  likeness,  high  in  grade  : 
Nor  lonely  was  creation's  gem, 
For  male  and  female,  form'd  he  them ; 
That  each  the  other  might  solace, 
He  her  to  guide,  she  him  to  grace. 
God  bless'd  them  both,  benignly  said, 
"  Man  and  woman,  divinely  wed, 
Be  fruitful  and  give  offspring  frirth, 
Replenish  and  subdue  the  Earth ; 
Dominion  have  o'er  fish  and  fowl, 
O'er  all  that  walk,  or  creep  or  prowl. 
In  form  erect,  with  moral  worth, 
I  crown  thee  King  of  all  the  earth; 
Of  all  on  land  or  sea  that  roves, 
And  ev'ry  living  thing  that  moves." 
God  said,  unto  the  wedded  pair, 
In  words  of  kind,  paternal  care, 
"  Each  herb  and  tree,  that  beareth  seed^ 
Are  yours  for  meat,  whereon  to  feed, 
Life  to  sustain  and  health  recruit, 
Yours  are  each  herb  and  luscious  fruit. 
To  beast  and  fowl  and  creeping  things, 
I  give  for  food  the  grass,  -that  springs 


From  forest,  lawn  or  fertile  field, 
All  that  the  fruitful  harvests  yield." 

God  spake,  and  forthwith  it  was  so — 
All  earth  was  in  a  genial  glow. 
God  then  his  handiwork  survey 'd, 
View'd  ev'ry  thing,  that  He  had  made, 
And,  as  in  majesty  He  stood, 
Saw  ev'ry  thing  was  very  good — 
He  look'd  approvingly,  and  saw 
His  finish'd  work  without  a  flaw. 
With  eve  and  morn,  the  sixth  day  ends, 
Creation  on  its  mission  wends ; 
The  ev'ning  lay,  the  matin  chime, 
Mark  Earth's  sixth  day  in  flight  of  time. 

The  Heav'ns  and  Earth  completely  made, 
And  all  their  host,  of  ev'ry  grade, 
God  rested  on  the  seventh  day, 
Although  his  pow'r  knew  no  decay — 
Yes,  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son, 
And  God  the  Spirit,  three  in  one, 
From  all  their  work,  divinely  done, 
Rested,  in  realms  above  the  sun ; 
And,  from  the  blest  abode,  sent  down 
Another  blessing  Earth  to  crown — 
The  sev'nth  Day  the  Almighty  bless'd, 
And  sanctifi'd  for  human  rest. 
'T  was  God's  own  rest,  from  all  his  work, 
Made  sacred  thence  by  holy  kirk. 


ANTHEM. 


Then  man  the  Sabbath  holy  keep, 
Till  the  last  trump  shall  sound, 

And  all,  who  then  in  Jesus  sleep, 
To  Jesus'  arms  shall  bound. 


PART  II. 

THE  WORK  OF  CREATION.— THE  GARDEN  OF  EDEN 
AND  THE  FORMATION  OF  EVE.       ' 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  II.,  VER.  4—25.] 

And  thus  were  form'd  the  Heav'ns  and  Earth, 
Their  generations  and  their  birth, 
'  When  their  foundations  firm  were  laid, 
In  the  same  day  they  both  were  made ; 
And  ev'ry  plant,  before  'twas  sown, 
And  herb  of  field,  before  't  was  grown. 
For  yet  no  cloud  did  rain  distill, 
Nor  yet  a  man  the  ground  did  till  j 
A  mist  ascended  from  the  earth, 
Water' d  its  face  and  plants  gave  birth. 

With  plastic  hand,  proportions  just, 
God  moulded  man  of  earthly  dust ; 
Into  his  nostrils  gently  breath'd, 
The  breath  of  life  within  him  sheath'd, 
And,  touch'd  as  with  a  burning  coal, 
Man  thus  became  a  living  soul. 

In  Eden's  East  a  garden  stands, 
Planted  by  God,  with  His  own  hands; 
And  there  He  put  the  man  He  form'd, 
To  till  the  Earth,  with  teeming  warm'd. 

Out  of  the  ground  God  made  to  grow 
tEach  pleasant  tree  to  see  and  know — 
Pleasant  to  sight,  and  good  for  food, 
Delicious  all,  tho'  eaten  crude. 
And,  in  the  garden's  centre,  tow'rs 
The  Tree  of  Life  o'er  plants  and  flow'rs:. 
Hard  by  there  also  tempting  stood 
The  Tree  of  Knowledge,  bad  and  good. 

A  river  out  of  Eden  went, 
To  water  Eden's  garden  sent ; 


Thence,  parted  and  become  four  heads, 
O'er  distant  lands  its  water  spreads. 
One  of  those  heads  is  Pison  nam'd, 
By  Hav-i-lah  for  bound'ry  claim'd. 
It  compasseth  thatfavor'd  land, 
Where  gold  was  gather'd  by  the  hand. 
The  gold,  found  there,  was  good  and  fine, 
As  any,  brought  from  modern  mine  ; 
•There,  too,  to  set  in  beauty's  zone, 
Were  bdellium  and  the  onyx  stone  j 
Gihon  's  the  second  river's  name, 
Ethiopia  does  its  circuit  claim  ; 
The  third  stream's  name  is  Hiddekel, 
And  westward  wends  its  current's  swell, 
Unto  Assyria's  Eastern  line, 
Where  idols  were  held  things  divine  ; 
And,  "  last,  not  least,"  the  Euphrates, 
Whose  tribute  's  paid  to  Eastern  seas. 

And  the  Lord  God  then  took  the  man,  . 
Whom  he  had  made,  on  wisdom's  plan, 
And  bade  him  Eden's  garden  keep, 
Its  vines  to  dress,  its  fruit  to  reap. 

God  gave  the  man  one  sole  command, 
By  which  he  was  to  fall  or  stand, 
a  Of  ev'ry  tree,  that's  good  for  meat 
Thou  may'st  quite  freely  take  and  eat ; 
But  there  is  one  forbidden  tree, 
Whose  mortal  taste  were  death  to  thee. 
Avoid  it,  from  its  poison  fly, 
The  day  thou  eat'st  it,  thou  shalt  die ; 
Of  good  and  evil,  praise  and  blame, 
The  Tree  of  Knowledge  is  its  name." 

And  the  Lord  God,  in  mercy,  said, 
"  It  is  not  good,  the  man,  I  've  made, 
Should  tenant  Paradise  alone, 
'T  is  fit  a  help-meet  he  should  own." 


.    10 

Out  of  the  ground  the  Lord  God  form'd, 
And  into  life  and  beauty  warm'd, 
Each  beast  of  field  and  fowl  of  air, 
And  plac'd  them  all  in  Adam's  care, 
To  see  what  names  he  would  apply 
To  beasts  of  field  and  fowl  that  fly. 
And  what  he  call'd  each  living  thing, 
That  name  to  it  did  thenceforth  cling. 
So  Adam,  bless'd  with  knowledge  rare, 
Nam'd  cattle,  beasts  and  fowl  of  air — 
All  came  in  pairs,  with  mates  all  crown'd- 
For  man  alone  no  help-meet  found. 

On  Adam,  then  God  caue'd  to  fall 
A  deep  sleep,  which  his  senses  thrall ; 
And,  as  he  slept,  from  his  cleft  side, 
God  took  a  rib  and  form'd  a  bride. 
The  rib  remov'd,  and  no  blood  shed, 
God  clos'd  the  flesh  thereof  instead. 
Of  Adam's  rib  God  woman  made, 
Of  her,  enamour'd,  Adam  said, 
"  Flesh  of  my  flesh,  bone  of  my  bone, 
The  name  of  Woman  therefore  own  ; 
Because,  according  to  Qod's  plan, 
Thou  e'en  wert  taken  out  of  man  : 
Man  shall  his  father,  mother  leave, 
And  to  his  wife  shall  fondly  cleave." 

Tho'  twain  in  form,  in  flesh  they  're  one, 
In  wedded  bliss  life's  race  to  run ; 
Naked  they  were,  yet  free  from  blame, 
For  then/t  was  neither  fault  nor  shame; 
In  Paradise,  no  curious  eye, 
On  the  fond  pair  could  play  the  spy. 

In  converse  sweet  and  mutual  love, 
They  daily  worship'd  God  above. 
And  privileg'd  beyond  their  race, 
They  saw  the  Lord  God,  face  to  face ; 
And  with  Him  held  commune  and  talked, 
As  He  in  Eden's  garden  walk'd. 


11 

DOXOLOGY. 


Then  man  the  grateful  anthem  raise,, 
To  God,  thy  Maker,  tune  thy  praise ; 
Give  glory  to  th'  Eternal  Son, 
And  Holy  Spirit,  Three  in  One. 


PART  III. 


THE  TEMPTATION  AND  THE    FALL  OF   MAN,  AND  HIS 
REDEMPTION  BY  THE  SEED  OF  THE  WOMAN. 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  III.] 

.     The  serpent  was  more  subtle  far, 
Than  any  beasts  that  were  or  are ; 
Erect  in  form,  endow'd  with  speech, 
Evil  to  Eve  he,  sought  to  teach. 
.   For  man  he  durst  not  spread  his  -wile, 
Woman,  he  thought,  he  might  beguile; 
He  knew  man's  sturdy  sense  would  foil 
His  plan,  tho'  hid  in  fold  and  coil. 
If  caught  apart  from  Adam's  care, 
Woman,  he  thought,  he  might  ensnare  ; 
Seeing  her  far  from  Adam's  side; 
•   Behold  him  to  her  presence  glide. 

Unto  the  woman  then  said  he, 
"  Hath  God  said  that,  of  ev'ry  tree, 
Ye  shall  not,-  dare  not  freely  eat, 
Altho'  for  food  'tis  good  and  meet  ?" 
Unto  the  serpent  answer'd  she, 
"  The  fruit  of  ev'ry  garden  tree 
God  made  us  free  to  take  and  eat, 
One  tree  alone's  forbidden  meat— 
§ee,  in  our  garden's  midst,  it  tow'rs, 
With  tempting  fruit  and  fragrant  flow'rs. 


The  Lord  hath  said,  in  stern  command, 
And  asks  obedience  at  our  hand, 
'Ye  shall  not  eat,  nor  even  touch, 
This  order  break,  your  doom  is  such, 
That,  if  ye  taste  or  touch  apply, 
In  that  same  day,  ye '11  surely  die.'  " 

The  Serpent  proudly  rear'd  his  crest, 
The  woman  thus  with  guile  address'd  : 
"  I  say,  ye  shall  not  surely  die> 
If  ye  the  luscious  fruit  shall  try;  . 
For  God  well  knows  what  virtue  lies, 
Within  that  fruit  to  ope  man's  eyes. 
Eat — and,  as  gods,  ye'll  quickly  know 
Evil  and  good,  on  Earth  below." 

The  woman,  see'ng  the  tree  was  good 
To  taste,  and  use  for  daily  food; 
That  it  was  pleasant  to  the  eyes, 
To  be  desir'd  to  make  one  wise, 
The  fruit  thereof  did  take  and  eat, 
And  to  her  husband  gave  for  meat,     ' 
And  he,  alas  !  by  her  beguil'd, 
From  Eden's  bow'rs  was  soon  exil'd. 

The  word  of  promise,  broke  to  hope, 
The  eyes  of  both  did  straightly  ope  ; 
With  new-born  shame,  they  forthwith  knew 
Their  nakedness,  and  straight  did  sew 
Fig-leaves  togeth'r,  and  aprons  made 
Their  guilty  loins  to  clothe  and  shade. 

When  next  they  heard  the  voice  of  God,    . 

As  he  in  Eden's  garden  trod, 

In  the  day's  cool,  and  when  the  sun 

His  daily  course  had  nearly  run/ 

Both  Adam  and  his  guilty  bride, 

From  the  Lord's  presence,  sought  to  hide, 

As  if,  from  His  All-seeing  Eye, 

Unseen,  in  covert,  they  might  lie. 


13 


The  Lord  God  Adam  call'd  and  said — 

"  Where  art  thou  man,  whom  I  have  made  V 

Guilt-stricken  Adam  thus  repli'd —  . 

"  I  heard  Thy  voice  and  sought  to  hide; 

I  knew  that  I  was  naked  made, 

And  therefore  felt  of  Thee  afraid." 

God  then  proceeded  to  inquire, 

With  manner  stern  and  eye  of  fire, 

u  Who  told  thee  that  thou  naked  wert  ? 

Hast  eaten  (and  by  sin  been  hurt,) 

Of  the  one  tree,  'twas  My  command, 

That  thou  from  it  aloof  shouldst  stand  V* 

The  fallen  man,  with  spirit  cow'cf, 
Less  his,  than  woman's  guilt  avow'd ; 
Accusing  Eve,  he  weakly  said, 
"  The  woman,  You  my  help-meet  made, 
She,  whom  You  gave  to  be  with  me, 
Gave  me  the  fruit  of  that  fell  tree, 
And  .1  did  eat— our  guilt  I  own, 
Let  mercy  to  us  both  b^  shewn." 


And  God  unto  the  woman  said, 

*  What  mischief  's  this,  which  thou  hast  bred  ?" 

The  woman  hasten'd  to  reply, 

The  tear-drop  trembling  in  her  eye, 

"  'Guil'd  by  the  Serpent,  I  did  eat; 

To  Adam  gave  the  fatal  meat, 

I  sink  in  sorrow  at  Thy  feet." 

The  Lord  God  to  the  Serpent  said, 

"  Bow  in  the  dust  thy  guilty  head, 

Since  thou  this  wicked  deed  hast  done, 

Henceforth,  like  other  beasts,  be  prone. 

Above  all  cattle,  be  thou  curs'd, 

My  vengeance  on  thy  head  shall  burst; 

Upon  thy  belly  thou  shalt  .go* 

Yea,  grovel  in  the  dust  below — 

That  dust  shall  be  the  daily  meat, 

Which,  all  thy  days,  thou'rt  doom'd  to  eat; 


14 

And  enmity  I  sure  will  breed, 
Between  thy  seed  and  woman's  seed ; 
Thy  prostrate  head  his  bruise  shall  feel, 
And  thou,  in  turn,  shalt  bruise  his  heel. 

Unto  the  woman  God  declar'd, 
As  she  to  disobey  had  dar'd— 
•"  Thy  sorrow  greatly  Til  increase, 
Conception  shall  invade  thy  peace; 
Children,  in  sorrow,  bring  thou  forth  ; 
In  agony  give  offspring  birth. 
Unto  man  thy  desire  shall  be, 
Thy  husband  shall  rule  over  thee. 

Th'  Almighty  unto  Adam  said, 
"  Since  to  the  voice 'of  her  thou'st  wed, 
Thou  rashly  hearken' dst  and  didst  eat 
That  fatal'tree's  forbidden  meat, 
Curs' d  is  the  ground  fo*  thy  sin's  sake, 
In  sorrow  of  its  fruits  paftake, 
For  all  the  days  of  thy  long  life, 
Thou  and  thy  weak  anct  guilty  wife, 
Thistles  and  thorns  shall  it  bring  forth, 
With  toil  and  care  shall  be  its  growth ; 
In  sweat  of  face,  thy  bread  be  earn'd, 
Until  thou  'rt  to  the  ground  return' d ; 
For  dust  thou  art,  a  worm  earth-born, 
And  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return." 

'  Adam  then  gave  his  wife  a  name, 
The  Mother  of  mankind  might  claim , 
Therefore  he  call'd  his  wife's  name  Eve, 
While  yet  their  sin  his  soul  did  grieve. 

God  kindly  then  saw  fit  to  form 
Garments  of  skins  their  flesh  to  warm- 
Naked  no  more,%but  cloth'd  by  God, 
They  humbly  bow'd  beneath  His  rod. 

And  then  the  Lord  God  said— "Behold, 
Man's  knowledge  now  is  large  and  bold; 


15 


He  is  become  as  one  of  Us, 
And  good  and  evil  will  discuss. 
Lest  Adam  then  and  Eve,  his  wife, 
Should  taste  agaftrthe  Tree  of  Life; 
And,  if  they  shall  its  fruit  consume, 
For  ever  live  in  deathless  bloom  ;" 
Therefore  the  Lord  God  sent  them  forth, 
From  Paradise  to  till  the  earth. 

Thus  God  from  Eden  drove  out  man, 
(The  Serpent. having  foil'd  its  plan,) 
And  on  its  Eastern  border  plac'd 
A  flaming  sword,  which  each  way  fac'd, 
By  Cherubims,  e'er  kept  in  play, 
From  Tree  of  Life  to  keep  the  way. 


MORAL. 

Tho'  Satan,  in  the  Serpent's  guise, 
Drove  fallen  man  from  Paradise, 
In  mercy  God  gave  woman's  seed 
A  new-born  hope  in  man  to  breed — 
That  seed  is  God's  Eternal  Son, 
By  whom  immortal  life  is  won, 
Thus  man,  with  sin,  tho'  deeply  stain'd, 
Will  live  in  Paradise  Begain'd. 


DOXOLOGY. 


To  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son, 
And  God  the  Spirit,  Three  in  One, 
Be  honor,  praise  and  glory  giv'n, 
By  all  on  Earth  and  all  in  Ileav'n. 


16 


PART  IV. 

CAIN  AND  ABEL— THE   CONSEQUENCE   OF  THE   FIRST 
TRANSGRESSION. 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  IV.,  VER.  1—15.] 

Sin,  having  Wasted  God's  fair  Earth, 
To  human-  sorrow  soon  gave  Dirth ; 
•Still,  mercy  temper'd  man's  chang'd  lot, 
Much  comfort  solac'd  still  his  cot. 
From  Eden  driv'n,  the  primal  pair 
Strove  each  to  soothe  the  other's  care; 
Connubial  love  consol'd  the  fate 
Of  Adam  and  his  gentle  mate; 
And  Eve  to  Adam  offspring  bare, 
To  cherish  with  maternal  care, 
And  Adam,  with  his  like,  to  cheer. 

She  said,  rejoicing  in  her  lot, 
"  From  (jrod,  above,  a  man  I  've  got/' 
Therefore  she  nam'd  her  first  born  "  Cain";. 
And  Abel  soon  "she  bare  again". 

Abel  a  keeper  .was  of  sheep, 
And  Cain  the  ground  did  till  and  reap ; 
Cain,  of  the  ground  an  off'ring  brought, 
And  from  the  Lord  a  blessing  sought ; 
Abel  the  firstling  of  his  flock 
Laid  on  the  sacrificial  block — 
Type  of  the  Lamb,  on  Calv'ry  slain, 
For  man  God's  favor  to  regain. 

Now  Abel's  lamb  won  God's  respect, 
But  Cain's  first  fruits  did  God  reject; 
For  lack  of  faith,  perhaps  't  was  pride, 
The  look'd  for  blessing  was  deni'd ; 
And  Cain  then  very  wroth  became, 
His  visage  fell,  in  angry  shame. 


17 

And  the  Almighty  said  to  Cain, 

*  Why  art  thou  wroth — why,  suff 'rest  pain  ? 
Why  is  thy  count'nance  thu£  downcast  ? 
Do  well,  and  thou  'It  be  bless'd  at  last ; 

Do  ill,  and  henceforth,  as  before, 
Sin  and  sorrow  '11  lie  at  thy  door. 
Tho'  undeserv'd,  yet,  unto  thee, 
Abel's  desire  shall  surely  be  ; 
As  first  born  son,  the  sceptre  's  thine, 
Thou  rul'st  o'er  him  by  right  divine." 

But  Cain,  unmov'd  by  mercy  shewn, 
With  Abel  talk'd  in  angry  tone, 
Then  at  his  brother  fiercely  flew, 
Abel,  with  murd'rous  rage,  he  slew ; 
Alas  !•  that  fratricidal  blow 
To  Adam  taught  sin's  bitt'rest  woe  ; 
His  primal  sin  its  mission  ply'd, 
And  Cain  became  a  fratricide. 

Then,  unto  Cain,  th'  Almighty  said — 
"  Where  is  thy  brother,  whither  fled  ?" 
"  I  know  not,"  was  the  false  reply — 
(The  murd'rer  scrupled  not  to  lie.) 
"  My  brother  am  I  bound  to  keep  ? 
Perchance  Thou 'It  find  him  with  his  sheep." 

Th'  Almighty  said — "  What  hast  thou  done  ? 
Thy  brother  slain — thy  mother's  son  ? 
Thy  wicked  hand  his  blood  has  found  ; 
Its  voice  cries  to  me  from  the  ground  : 
And,  from  that  Earth,  thou  now  art  curs'd, 
Which  with  his  blood  has  slak'd  its  thirst  j 
When  thou  shalt  till  the  sluggish  field, 
It  ne'er  to  thee  its  strength  shall  yield ; 
For  thy  great  sin,  't  is  my  decree,  . 
On  Earth  a  vagrant  thou  shalt  be." 

Humbled,  at  last,  the  murd'rer  said, 

•  "  The  punishment,  Thou  'st  on  me  laid,  m  . 
My  guilty  soul  doth  justly  fear, 

Is  greater  far  than  I  can  bear. 


18 

From  earth's  fair  face  to  go  I  'm  bid, 
And  Thy  face,  too,  from  me '11  be  hid. 
A  vagabond  I  thus  am  made," 
And  therefore  sorely  I  'm  afraid, 
That  all,  who  find  me  in  the  way, 
Will  feel  that  they  are  bound  to  slay." 

Then  God,  to  him,  in  mercy,  said, 
Since  thou  hast  bow'd  thy  guilty  head. 
Therefore,  whoever  slayeth  Cain, 
Sevenfold  vengeance  shall  obtain. 
And  God,  on  Cain,  a  mark  did  set, 
That  none,  by  whom  he  might  be  met, 
Should  dare,  God's  justice  to  fulfill, 
Kepentant  Cain  to  harm  or  kill. 
Let  mortals  heed  what  God  doth  say — 
"  Vengeance  is  mine,  I  will  repay — 
Cain  I  've  reserved  as  my  own  care, 
My  sov'reign  will  his  life  doth  spare." 

MORAL. 

Sin,  introduc'd  by  Satan's  guile, 

Where  Eden's  garden  once  did  smile, 

O'er  earth  soon  pour'd  its  fatal  tide, 

And  stain'd  the  ground  with  fratricide. 

But  Satan's  triumph  lasted  not, 

The  Holy  One,  of  God  begot, 

In  wondrous  mercy,  freely  gave 

His  life,  a  ruin'd  world  to  save ; 

His  precious  biood,  shed  on  the  Cross, 

More  than  aton'd  for  Eden's  loss ;' 

For  man  redeem'd,  from  Earth,  shall  rise, 

To  tenant  mansions  in  the  skies. 


DOXOLOGY. 


Now  let  the  Father  and  the  Son 

And  Spirit  be  ador'd, 
Where  there  are  works  to  make  Him  known, 

Or  Saints  to  love  the  Lord. 


19 


PART  V.  , 

CAIN  IN  THE  LAND  OF  NOD.— HIS  PROGENY. 

LAMECH    AND    HIS    TWO    WIVES,    ADAH     AND     ZILLAH. JABAL,    THE 

INVENTOR  OF  TENTS  AND  OF  THE  ORDERING  OF  CATTLE. .TUBAL, 

THE    INVENTOR    OF    THE    HARP    AND    ORGAN,    AND    TEACHER   OF 

MUSIC. TUBAL-CAIN,    THE    SCRIPTURAL    VULCAN,  THE    WORKER 

IN  BRASS  AND  IRON,  THE  INVENTOR  OF  THE  PLOUGH. — SETII, 
BORN,  AND  SUBSTITUTED,  AS  THE  PROGENITOR  OF  THE  SEED  OF 
THE  WOMAN,  IN  PLACE  OF  ABEL,  WHOM  CAIN  SLEW- — MEN  BEGIN 
TO  CALL  UPON  THE  NAME    OF  THE  LORD. 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  IV.,  VER.  16—26.] 

Cain,  from  the  presence  of  his  liod, 
Dwelt  thenceforth  in  the  Land  of  Nod, 
Which  border'd  on  fair  Eden's  East, 
Where  man  no  longer  dar'd  to  feast. 
Cain  knew  his  wife,  she  Enoch  bare, 
And  Cain  a  city  then  did  rear ; 
.  And  to  that  city  gave  the  claim 
.  .  To  bear  his  first-born  Enoch's  name 

Unto  Enoch  was  Irad  born  *} 
To  him  3Iehujael  in  turn  j 

In  order  then  Mehujael.  *  . 

Was  father  to  Methusaelf 
'  And,  in  due  season,  after  that, 
Methusael  Lamech  begat. 

Now  sin  again  rear'd  its  foul  head, 
For  Lamech  dar'd  two  Nvives  to  wed ; 
Thus  bigamy  began  to  be, 
The  parent  of  polygamy; 
The  fruitful  source  of  household  brawls, 
The  sin,  the  modern  Mormon  thralls. 
When  God  dcclar'd  it,  from  his  throne, 
Not  good  for  man  to  be  alone, 


20 


The  marriage  tie  bound,  on  His  plan, 
One  woman  only  to  one  man; 
When  Lamech  added  wife  to  wife, 
He  broadcast  strew'd  domestic  strife; 
And  sinn'd  in  that,  in  his  own  eyes, 
He  deem'd  himself  than  God  more  wise; 
But,  when  he  swerv'd  from  God's  own  rule, 
'T  is  plain  he  only  play'd  the  fool. 

Lamech  and  Adah  first  were  pair'd, 
But  Zillah  soon  their  household  shar'd. 
Fruitful  Adah  did  Jabal  bare, 
Tents,  and  cattle  were  his  care ; 
And  Jubal  was  his  brother's  name, 
The  harp  and  organ  were  his  claim. 
Zillah  also  bare  Tubal-Cain, 
He  caus'd  the  useful  plough  to  reign; 
In  brass  and  iron,  taught,  with  art, 
Each  artisan  to  play  his  part : 
Naamah  was  his  sister's  name, 
They  both  one  living  mother  claim. 

Lamech,  like  his  forefather  Cain, 
Of  murder  bore  the  guilty  stain ;  |     - 
Then  said  he  to  his  awe-struck  wives, 
"  A  deed  I  Ve  done,  may  cost  our  lives; 
A  young  man  to  my  hurt  I  've  slain, 
I'll  be  aveng'd  e'en  more  than  Cain; 
Cain's  vengeance  was  but  sev'n  times  told, 
Mine  will  be  sev'n  and  sev'nty  fold." 
This  he  proclaim' d  himself  to  save, 
From  his  just  doom,  the  felon's  grave. 

And  Adam  knew  his  wife  again, 

Hoping  a  better  breed  of  men. 

Eve  bare  a  son,  and  him  Seth  call'd, 

In  righteous  Abel's  place  install'd — 

Another  seed,  in  Abel's  stead, 

Whom  Cain,  with  murcf  rous  blow,  struck  dead. 


21 


To  Setk  was  also  born  a  son, 
Enos  his  name — and,  thereupon, 
Men  first  began,  with  one  acclaim, 
To  call  upon  God's  holy  name. 


MORAL. 

Seth  was  the  substituted  seed, 

By  God,  in  mercy  great,  decreed 

The  father  of  the  royal  line, 

From  whom  should  spring  the  man  divine ; 

'T  was  He,  who  bruis'd  the  Serpent's  head, 

And  Who  on  Calv'ry  freely  bled ; 

The  woman's  seed,  and  God's  own  son, 

Both  God  and  Man,  combin'd  in  one, 

Who  died,  as  Man,  upon  the  tree, 

As  God,  achiev'd  the  victory; 

Satan  o'erthrew,  in  deadly  strife, 

And  won  for  man  immortal  life. 


DOXOLOGY. 


Ye  Angels  round  the  throne, 
And  Saints  that  dwell  below, 

Worship  the  Father,  love  the  Son, 
And  bless  the  Spirit  too. 


PART  VI. 
THE  ANTE-DILUVIANS. 

ENOCH,    WHO    WALKED   WITH     GOD,    AND     WAS     NOT. — METHUSELAH, 
THE    OLDEST    MAN. — NOAH   AND    HIS    SONS. 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  V.] 

• 

This  is  the  Book,  in  which  has  place 
The  history  of  Adam's  race. 
In  the  day,  that  the  Lord  made  man, 
In  His  image,  on  His  wise  plan; 


He,  male  and  female,  both  install' til, 

The  twain  then  bless'd,  them  Adam  call'd. 

When  Adam  counts  one  hundred  years 
And  thirty,  he  begets  and  rears, 
Like  to  himself,  a  worthy  son, 
The  name  of  Seth  bestow'd  upon. 
To  Adam,  after  Seth  begot, 
Eight  hundred  years  did  God  allot ; 
And  many  sons,  and  daughters  too, 
Under  his  tender  nurture  grew, 
Beneath  his  vine  and  fig  tree  play'd, 
With  none  to  harm  or  make  afraid. 
Of  all  the  years,  by  Adam  worn, 
Nine  hundred  thirty  was  the  bourn; 
Then  primal  Adam,  ripe  in  age, 
Pass'd  gently  from  this  earthly  stage-r- 
The  record  's  free  from  pomp  or  pride, 
The  Bible  simply  says,  "  he  died". 

Seth-,  having  liv'd  one  hundred  years 
And  five, Enos  begets  and  rears; 
And,  having  seen  his  first-born's  birth, 
One  hundred  seven  dwelt  on  earth. 
Nine  hundred  twelve  ^ears  were  complete, 
When  he  was  call'd  his  God  to  meet; 
But  first,  like  Adam,  he  begot, 
Daughters  and  sons  to  cheer  his  lot. 

And  Enos  lives  but  ninety  years-, 
Then  Cainan,  his  first  son,  appears; 
And,  after  Cainan's  welcome  birth, 
Eight  hundred  fifteen  more,  on  earth, 
Did  Enos  run  life's  lengthen'd  race, 
While  boys  and  girls  his  hearth-stone  grace. 
And  Enos  ceas'd  to  be  alive 
When  he  fulfill'd  nine  hundred  five. 

Next  Cainan,  but  threescore  aud  ten, 
Mahalaleel  a  son  did  ken, 


23 


Adding  eight  hundred  forty  years, 
With  sons  and  daughters  he  appears  j 
"Nine  hundred  ten  his  life  bestrode, 
And  with  his  God  he  then  abode. 

Mahalaleel,  at  sixty-five, 

Saw  Jared,  his  first-born,  alive,; 

Eight  hundred  thirty  did  he  run, 

With  many  a  daughter,  many  a  son ; 

And  only  ceas'd  to  be  alive 

With  years  eight  hundred  ninety-five. 

Jared  an  hundred  sixty-two 
Had  liv'd,  when  Enoch  bless'd  his  view, 
And  then  he  cours'd  eight  hundred  more, 
While  sons  and  daughters  crowd  his  door  ; 
With  years  nine  hundred  sixty-two, 
His  soul  to  HeavVs  high  Chanc'ry  flew. 

Enoch,  at  youthful  sixty-five, 

Methuselah  beheld  alive  ; 

And  Enoch  then  with  God  did  talk, 

Three  hundred  years  with  God,  did  walk, 

And,  with  paternal  care  and  pride, 

Haw  sons  and  daughters  multipli'd  : 

Enoch's  whole  sum  of  years  displays, 

In  numbers,  what  each  year  counts  day^s. 

But  Enoch's  was  a  wondrous  lot, 

He  walk'd  with  God  aud  he  "  was  not  ". 

God  wrote  his  name  in  His  own  Book, 

And  Enoch  up  to  Heaven  took ; 

Who  wag'd  with  death  no  mortal  strife, 

But  gently  pass'd  to  endless  life ; 

'T  was  thus  his  God  did  mark  and  bless 

His  great,  his  perfect- righteousness — 

Perfect,  because  't  was  not  his  own, 

But  that  which  Christ  for  man  hath  won. 

Methus'lah  liv'd  an  hundred  years 
And  eighty-seven,  with  many  cares, 
Ere  he  beheld  the  joyous  morn, 
When  Lamech,  his  first  son  was  born ; 


24 


And,  after  Lamech's  happy -birth, 
He  tarri'd  still,  upon  the  earth, 
Seven  hundred  and  eighty-two, 
With  sons  and  daughters  not  a  few. 
Nine  hundred  sixty-nine  did  gage 
The  years  of  his  long  pilgrimage — 
The  oldest  man,  of  all  beside, 
He  ran  his  lengthen'd  race,  and  died, 
Ere  Noah's  Ark  the  waves  did  ride.    » 

Lamech,  one  hundred  eighty-two, 

A  son  was  privileg'd  to  view, 

Noah,  he  gave  his  first-born  name, 

Because  of.  Him  he  said,  "  Thys  same 

Shall  comfort  mingle  with  our  toil, 

And  free  the  ground  from  Satan's  coil — 

That  ground,  which  God  for  sin  hath  curs'd, 

And  man,  with  toil  and  care,  hath  nurs'd." 

And  Lamech,  after  Noah  born, 

Liv'd  not  of  Noah's  flood  to  warn. 

Numb'ring  five  hundred  ninety-five, 

Daughters  and  sons  adorn  his  hive ; 

At  seven  hundred  sev'nty  years, 

Death  clos'd  his  life  and  heal'd  his  cares — 

Metuus'lah  being  still  in  life ; 

But  he,  too,  died  before  the  strife, 

Which  almost  robb'd  the  earth  of  life — 

The  fearful  universal  flood, 

Which  high  o'er  plains  and  mountains  stood, 

O'erwhelming,  in  its  stormy  rage,    ' 

All  upon  earth,  of  ev'ry  age — 

Save  Noah,  the  appointed  seed 

A  better  race  of  men  to  breied. 

And  Noah  saw -five  hundred  years, 

Before  a  son  his  household  cheers ; 

And,  then,  the  man  of  Ararat 

Three  sons  successively  begat : 

Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth,  all  were  rear'd, 

And  wiv'd,  before  the  flood  appear'd, 


25 


To  share  with  Noah  God's  great  grace, 
And  renovate  the  human  race.      .      , 


moral: 


Sin,  sow'd  by  Eve,  and  Adam  too, 

A  fearful  crop  of  evil  grew, 

Until,  at  such  a  height,  it  stood, 

That  G-od  sent  forth  a  fearful  flood, 

To  sweep  a  sinful  race  away, 

And  wake,  for  earth,  a  brighter  day. 

E'en  then  did  eye  of  faith  descry 

A  glimm'ring  in  the  Eastern  sky — 

Betok'ning,  in  the  East,  that  Star, 

Which  drew  the  wise  men  from  afar, 

On  th'  infant  Jesus  to  confer 

Gifts — gold,  and  frankincense  and  myrrh. 

The  flood  a  sinful  world  o'erthrew, 
That  Christ  man's  nature  might  renew, 
And  win  for  him,  upon  the  Cross, 
Requital  full  for  Eden's  loss. 


DOXOLOGY. 

Then  men  redeem'd,  your  voices  raise, 
To  God  above,  in  grateful  praise, 
For  vict'ry  o'er  sin's  deluge  won, 
By  God,  the  Father's  well  lov'd  son, 
And,  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  too, 
Give  equal  honor,  justly  due. 


26 


PART  VII.  •     ' 

THE    WICKEDNESS   OF    THE    WORLD. — THE  SONS  OF   GOD   TAKE  WIVES 

OF    THE    DAUGHTERS    OF    MEN.— GIANTS    IN    THOSE   DAYS. THE 

ARK,  ITS  ORDER,  FORM  AND  END.— THE  FLOOD. 

[GENESIF,  CHAP.  YL] 

The  record  thus  proceeds,  (alas  \) 
In  course  of  time,  -it  came  to  pass, 
When  men  began  to  multiply, 
x\nd  daughters  of  Cain's  progeny;. 
The  sons  of  >God  saw  they  were  fair, 
With  them,  as  wives,  began  to  pair. 

-  God  said,  in  council  with  His  son, 
When  he  beheld  this  sad  thing  done — • 
"  Since  man  of  flesh  I  did  contrive, 
My  Spirit  shall  not  with  him  strive 
Always — yet  still  the  days  he  wears 
Shall  count  one  hundred  twenty  years." 

On  earth,  in  these  same  evil  days, 
•     Giants  did  lofty  statures  raise  ; 
And,  after  that,  Seth's  chosen  race, 
As  wives,  Cain's  daughters  did  embrace; 
And  they  to  them  did  children  bear— ~ 
In  whom  their  'mother's  sins  appear ; 
The  same,  when  grown,  were  mighty  men, 
Who  fail'd  God's  holy  law  to  ken, 
Which  were,  of  old,  men  of  renown, 
Whose  sins  provok'd  God's  angry  frown. 

God  saw  the  wickedness  of  man 
Stretch  over  earth's  entire  span ; 
That  ev'ry  thought  of  his  vile  heart 
Proceeded  straight  from  Satan's  mart : 
And  then  the  Lord  God  did  repent, 
That  man  to  earth  He  e'er  had  lent ; 
It  grieved  Him,  to  His  inmost  heart, 
That  life  to  man  He  did  impart. 


27 

And  God  said,  "  Man  I  will  destroy, 
Earth's  face  he  shall  no  more  annoy ; 
Both  man  and  beast,  and  creeping  thing, 
And  fowl  of  air,  with  feather'd  wing, 
I  do  repent  that  I  have  made — 
l,n  one  wide  ruin  be  all  laid. 
Noah  alone*  shall  favor  .gain, 
Only  the  just  my  grace  obtain." 

Noah,  in  God's  discerning  eyes, 
Was  righteous,  perfect,  just  and  wise ; 
And,  while  all  else  in  peril  stood, 
Noah  walk'd  safely  with  his  God ; 
And,  ere  the  earth  Sod's  vengeance  felt, 
Three  sons  within  his  household  dwelt, 
Shem,  Ham  and  Japhcth — and  they  shar'd 
The  mercy,  which  their  father  spar'd. 

God  saw  corruption  fill  the  Earth, 
All  flesh  was  vile  and  nothing  worth  ■ 
All  flesh  had  made  corrupt  its  way, 
And  violence  held  fearful  sway. 

And  God  to  Noah  then  declar'd — 
"  The  Earth  no  longer  can  be  spar'd, 
Since  violence  fills  earth  and  sea, 
The  end  of  all  flesh  I  decree, 
All  living  things  to  death  I  doom, 
Save  thee  and  thine  I  '11  not  consume." 

li  Make,  thee  an  Ark  of  gopher-wood, 
With  pitch  cement  it,  tight  and  good, 
And  many  rooms  within  it  build, 
That  it  may  be  well  stor'd,  and  fiH'd, 
With  living  things,  with  meat  and  grain, 
That  life  and  health  it  may  sustain. 
And  that  it  may  have  fitting  strength, 
Three  hundred  cubits  be  its  length, 
Fifty  its  breadth,  and  let  its  height 
Rise  thirty  cubits  on  the  sight. 
Then  to  the  Ark  a  window  make, 
A  cubit  for  its  measure  take ; 


28 

And  next  a  door  set  in  its  side, 
And  in  it  stories  three  provide. 

And  behold  I,  All-sov'reign  I,   , 
In  My  avenging  majesty, 
On  earth  a  flood  of  waters  bring, 
To  whelm  and  drown  each  living  thing ; 
All  flesh  destroy,  wherein  is  breath, 
All  things  in  earth  consign  to  death. 
With  thee  alone,  for  thy  just  sake, 
A  solemn  covenant  I  make ; 
And  thou  shalt  come  into  the  Ark  j 
"Within  it,  too,  thou  shalt  embark 
Thy  sons,  thy  wife  and  thy  son's  wives, 
And  thus  give  safety  to  their  lives. 
My  will  is  further  that  you  choose, 
Of  ev'ry  living  thing,  by  twos, 
Two  of  each  sort  to  keep  alive, 
That  they,  with  thee,  may  breed  and  thrive- 
So  male  and  female  let  them  be,    ' 
To  yield  unfailing  progeny ; 
Be  sure  that,  in  the  Ark  you  find, 
All  feather'd  fowl,  after  their  kind ; 
After  their  kind,  all  cattle  too, 
And  insects,  that  e'er  crept  or  flew. 
Two  of  each  sort,  a  mated  pair, 
Each  kind  to  keep  alive  and  rear. 
Fail  not  to  gather  proper  food, 
Of  all  to  eat,  that 's  fit  and  good ; 
Food,  fit  alike,  for  thee  and  thine, 
For  fowl  and  beast,  insect  and  kine," 

Noah,  obedient  to  God's  word, 
Cheerful  compliance  did  accord, 
With  thankful  heart,  for  God's  decree, 
As  God  commanded,  so  did  he. 


MORAL. 

When  primal  sin  the  Earth  defil'd, 
Eden  on  man  no  longer  smil'd ; 


L)!) 


So  deep  and  fatal  was  its  stain, 

To  righteous  Seth  it  spread  from  Cain ; 

Seth's'sons  with  Cain'*  fair  daughters  wive, 

And  that  made  sin  so  fiercely  thrive, 

That  God  view'd  man  with  angry  frown, 

And  his  whole  race  resolv'd  to  drown, 

Save  Noah,  and  his  household  too, 

That  God  man's  nature  might  renew. 

Yet  God  the  Father  did  not  mean, 

The  Flood  from  sin  to  wash  man  clean  ; 

But,  in  great  mercy,  sent  his  Son, 

The  bloody  Cross  to  die  upon, 

That,  by  His  death  and  in  His  blood, 

From  sin,  a  great  all-cleatising  flood 

Might  flow,  in  never  failing  tide; 

That,  when  to  man,  by  faith,  applied, 

The  precious  blood  shed  on  the  Cross, 

Should  more  than  equal  Eden's  loss; 

And  man,  redeem'd  from  Satan's  strife, 

Feed  once  more  on  the  Tree  of  Life-*- 

(That  Tree,  which  bare  twelve  kinds  of  fruit, 

Whose  leaves  all  nations'  health  recruit j) 

And,  thro'  the  Spirit's  wondrous  grace, 

Find  Heav'n  his  final  resting  place ; 

There  to  adore  the  God  of  Truth, 

And  flourish  in  immortal  youth — 

In  the  City,  whose  gates  of  pearl 

On  golden  hinges  ever  whirl, 

To  let  the  King  of  Glory  in, 

And  all,  by  Him,  redeem'd  from  sin.  • 


doxology. 


Worthy  is  the  Lamb  that  was  slain,  to  receive  power,  and  riches,  and 
wisdom,  and  strength,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  blessing. 

Blessing,  and  honour,  and  glory,  and  power,  be  unto  Him  that  sitteth 
upon  the  Throne,  and  unto  the  Lamb,  forever  and  ever. 

And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  heareth 
say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let 
him  take  the  water  of  life  freely. 

The  grace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be  with  you  all,  Amen. 


80 


PART  VIII. 

NOAH,  AND  HIS  FAMILY.— THE    BEGINNING,  CONTINU- 
ANCE AND  END  OF  THE  FLOOD. 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  VII.] 

And  then  the  Lord  to  Noah  saicl — 
"  The  Earth  's  no  longer  fit  to  tread  :    . 
Do  thou'  and  all  thy  house  embark, 
Within  the  chambers  of  the  Ark. 
In  this  geii'ration,  I  have  seen, 
Before  me  thou  hast  righteous  been. 
Of  ev'ry  clean  beast  thou  shalt  take, 
By  sev'ns,  full  complement  to  make ; 
Both  male  and  female  thus  provide, 
For  increase  and  for  food  beside. 
Of  beasts,  not  clean,  select  by  twos, 
See  that  thou  male  and  female  choose. 
By  sevens,  also,  fowls  of  air 
Choose,  and  both  male  and  female  pair — 
Upon  Earth's  face  to  keep  their  seed, 
To  serve  alike  for  food  and  breed. 
For  yet  sev'n  days,  and  I  will  cause, 
By  sov'reign  use  of  nature's  laws, 
For  forty  days  and  nights,  in  all, 
Great  rains  upon  the  earth  to  fall. 
Such  agency  will  I  employ 
All  living  substance  to  destroy, 
Nought  shall  upon  the  earth*be  kept, 
But  from  its  face  shall  all  be  swept." 
And  Noah,  as  the  Lord  had  bid, 
Obey'd  His  will,  according  did. 

•  "Noah  six  hundred  years  had  told, 
When  o'er  Earth's  face  the  flood  was  roll'd ; 
He  and  his  sons,  his  and  their  wives, 
Enter' d  the  Ark  to  save  their  lives, 
Because  the  waters  of  the  flood 
Menac'd  the  ground,  on  which  they  stood. 


31 


Of  clean  beasts,  and  of  beasts  not  clean, 
Of  fowls,  and  insects  too,  were  seen, 
Male  and  female,  by  two  and  two, 
Ent'ring  the  Ark,  in  order  due  ; 
And  all  within  its  precincts  stand, 
As  God  to  Noah  gave  command. 

In  'sev'n  days  more,  it  came  to  pass, 
On  earth  uprose  the  wat'ry  mass  j    . 
Upon  its  face,  in  terror,  stood 
The  waters  of  the  angry  flood  : 
Six  hundredth  year  of  Noah's  life, 

The  epoch  of  the  fearful  strife. 

• 

In  second  month,  on  sev'nteenth  day, 

Begin  the  great  deep's  founts  to  play. 

And  Heaven's  windows  open  wide, 

To  pour  forth  the  destructive  tide : 

For  forty  days  and  forty  nights, 

Rain  drenches  earth,  and  all  things  blights. 

The  self-same  day,  there  did  embark, 
Within  the  Heav'n  appointed  Ark, 
Noah,  and  all  his  precious  ones, 
Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth,  his  three  sons, 
Noah's  own  wife  and  their  wives  too — ■ 
They  form  the  whole  God-rescu'd  crew. 
With  beast  and  cattle,  bird  and  fowl, 
E'en  all  that  walk,  fly,  creep  or  prowl, 
Each  after  his  kind,  each  with  mate, 
With  Noah  enter,  share  his  fate. 
And  thus  all  flesh,  wherein  is  breath, 
By  two  and  two,  are  sav'd  from  death. 
Male  and  female,  they  go  in  all, 
Prepar'd  for  them  were  nest  and  stall : 
They  all  within  the  Ark  now  stand, 
As  God  to  Noah  gave  command  : 
And  all,  in  order,  being  put, 
Noah,  within  the  Ark,  is  shut. 

Upon  the  earth,  for  forty  days, 

The  Flood  on  all  things  earthly  preys ; 


32 


The  waters  swell,  and,  on  the  tide, 

Above  the  earth,  the  Ark  doth  ride ; 

The  waters  rise  o'er  hill  and  dale, 

On  earth  exceedingly  prevail  j 

While  Noah's  Ark,  by  God's  great  grace, 

Floats  safely  on  their  troubled  face. 

O'er  the  high  hills,  'neath  Heaven's  dome, 

The  waters  spread  with  rage  and  foam, 

Fifteen  cubits  they  upward  rise, 

Immerse  the  mountains,  wash  the  skies. 

And  all  flesh  died  upon  the  earth, 

All  men  and  beasts,  that  e'er  had  birth ; 

All  cattle  and  all  fowl  with  wing, 

Down  to  the  smallest  creeping  thing  ; 

All,  in  whose  nostrils  was  life's  breath, 

All,  in  dry  land,  met  wat'ry  death ; 

All  living  substance  then  was  drown'd, 

Upon  the  surface  of  the  ground. 

Man,  beast  and  kine,  and  creeping  thing, 

And  fowl  of  heaven,  with  plume  and  wing,' 

In  ruin  wide  were  all  destroy'd. 

Earth  becomes  desert,  waste  and  void^ — 

Noah,  alone,  remains  alive, 

And  those,  who,  with  him,  safely  hive. 

One  hundred  fifty  days  complete, 

The  waters  spread  their  winding  sheet. 


MORAL. 


Let  man,  when  toss'd  on  stormy  deep, 
Commit  himself  to  God's  safe  keep ;' 
And,  tho'  life's  night  be  foul  and  dark, 
He  '11  safe  repose  in  God's  own  Ark. 


DOXOLOGY. 

To  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost, 
The  God,  whom  we  adore, 

Be  glory,  as  it  was,  is  now, 
And  shall  be  evermore. 


PART  IX. 

THE     WATERS     ASSUAGE. — THE     ARK1     RESTETH    ON    ARARAT. — THE 

RAVEN    AND     THE     DOVEt NOAH     GOETH     FORTH     OUT    OF     THE 

ARK< HE     BUILDETH    AN     ALTAR     AND      OFFERETH     SACRIFICE, 

WniCH    GOD  ACCEPTETH,  AND    PROMISETH  TO  CURSE  THE    EARTH 
NO    MORE. 

*  [GENESIS,  CHAP.  VtU.J 

• 
God,  in  remembrance,  Noah  held, 
And  all  in  Noah's  Ark  that  dwell'd, 
The  cattle,  that  were  with  him  there, 
Each  insect,  beast  and  bird  of  air. 
God  caus'd  a  wind  o'er  earth  to  pass, 
Which  made  the  waters  smooth  as  glass ; 
Thus  still'd  the  elemental  rage, 
And  caus'd  the  waters  to  assuage  ; 
From  fountains  of  the  stormy  deep, 
The  water-spouts  no  longer  leap. 
Heaven's  windows  by  God  were  stopp'd, 
Rain  from  the  clouds  no  longer  dropp'd. 
One  hundred  fifty  days  expire, 
The  waters  from  the  earth  retire  ; 
That  period  was  the  happy  date, 
Which  saw  the  wat'ry  mass  abate. 
In  seventh  month,  on  sev'nteenth  day, 
Began  the  flood    to  pass  away, 
And  Noah's  Ark  in  safety  sat,  . 

Upon  the  mount  of  Ararat  : 
The  flood  continu'd  to  decrease, 
With  tokens  of  returning  peace, 
Until  the  tenth  month's  op'ning  day 
£hed  on  the  earth  its  cheering  ray  j 
Wfren  first  the  mountain  peaks  were  seen, 
Their  summits  not  yet  cloth'd  with  green. 
And,  at  the  end  of  forty  days, 
.  Noah  let  in  the  sun's  bright  rays. 
The  window  he  wide  open  tjhrew, 
And  out  a  raven  quickly  flew, 


I 


34 


Sent  forth  by  him  to  ascertain, 
If  aught  the  flood  relax'd  its  reign. 
The  raven  to  and  fro  went  forth, 
Until,  from  off  the  face  of  earth, 
The  waters  of* the  fearful  tide 
Wholly  withdrew  and  up  were  dri'd. 

He  then  sent  forth  a  gentle  dove, 
A  messenger  of  truth  and  love, 
To  see,  if  yet,  at  hQpeful  rate, 
The  waters  from  the  ground  abate — 
In  ambient  air  to  ply  her  wing, 
And  news  of  Earth's  condition  bring. 
But,  for  her  foot,  she  found  no  rest, 
Nor  tree,  wherein  to  build  her  nest, 
With  weary  wing,  ere  it  was  dark, 
The  dove  return' d  unto  the  Ark; 
Noah,  her  love  yet  more  to  win, 
Stretch'd  forth  his  hand  and  pull'd  her  in. 
And  Noah,  then,  in  patience,  stays, 
Till  end  of -other  seven  days, 
WThen  he  the  dove  again  sent  forth, 
To  learn  what  hope  of  rescu'd  earth. 
At  twilight  soft,  the  creature  tame, 
Back  to  her  master  faithful  came; 
And,  lo  !  within  her  mouth  was  seen 
A  leaf  of  olive,  fresh  and  green, 
Symbol  of  peace  and  mercy  giv'n, 
To  man  on  earth,  from  God  in  Heav'n. 

Noah  then  stay'd  yet  sev'n  days  more, 
And,  just  as  he  had  done  before, 
Again  sent  forth  the  gentle  bird, 
Of  the  earth's  plight  to  be  assur'd ; 
But  she,  allur'd  by  hill  and  plain, 
Return' d  to  him  no  more  again. 

In  the  six  hundredth  and  first  year, 
Which  Noah's  pilgrimage  did  bear, 
In  the  first  month,  on  the  first  day, 
The  flood,  from  earthy  had  pass'd  away ; 


And  Noah,  from  the  Ark,  remov'd 
Its  covering — and  look'd— and  prov'd, 
With  heart  elate  and  sparkling  eye, 
That  the  whole  face  of  earth  was  dry. 
The  second  month's  twent'-seventh  day 
Beheld  earth  -dri'd  by  solar  ray. 

And  unto  Noah  God  thus  spake, 
Earth  being  sav'd  for  his-just  sake, 
"Go  forth,  I  bid  thee,  from  the  Ark, 
All  living  things  thence  disembark, 
Thou  and  thy  wife,  thy  sons,  their  wives, 
On  earth. again  lead  pleasant  lives; 
And,  from  the  Ark,  be  sure  to  bring 
Cattle,  beast,  fowl  and  creeping  thing, 
That  they  may  breed  abundantly, 
And  fruitful  be  and  multiply." 

Then  went  forth  Noah,  and  his  sons, 
And  witti  them  all  their  wedded  ones  j 
Each  beast  and  fowl  and  creeping  thing, 
.Out  of  the  Ark  did  Noah  bring. 
After  their  kind,  they  all  went  forth, 
To  breed,  and  to  replenish  Earth. 

And  unto  God  did  Noah  raise 

An  altar,  for  incense  and  praise ; 

Of  each  clean  beast  and  fowl,  in  turn, 

An  offering  he  made  to  burn. 

The  sacrifice,  approv'd  full  well,  . 

The  Lord  a  savour  sweet  did*  smell, 

And  said,  within  His  heart  of  grace — 

"  I  '11  ne'er  again  curse  earth's  fair  face ; 

Not  any  more  shall  there  be  found, 

My  curse,  for  man's  sake,  on  the  ground ; 

For  man's  vile  heart  is,  from  his  youth, 

All  evil,  and  oppos'd  to  truth. 

Neither  will  I,  myself  to  right, 

Again  all  earth  in  anger  smite, 

Nor  any  more  bring  death,  upon 

All  living  things,  as  I  have  done. 


36 

Henceforth,  while  earth  shall  firm  remain, 

Seed-time  and  harvest  shall  obtain ; 

Both  cold  and  heat  shall  operate, 

Summer  and  winter  alternate; 

And  day  and  night  shall  never  cease; 

And  Earth  shall  bring  forth  her  increase  ; 

Until  the  final  trump  shall  sound, 

And  Heav'n  in  place  of  Earth  be  found." 


DOXOLOGY. 

May  the  grace  of  Christ  our  Saviour 
And  the  Father's  boundless  love, 

With  the  Holy  Spirit's  favor, 
Rest  upon  us  from  above. 

Thus  may  we  abide  in  union, 
•  With  each  other  and  the  Lord, 

And  possess,  in  sweet  communion, 
Joys,  which  Earth  cannot  afford. 


PART  X. 

GOD  BLESSETH  NOAH.— BLOOD  AND  MURDER  FOR- 
BIDDEN.—GOD'S -COVENANT  OF  PEACE  WITH 
MAN,  SYMBOLLED  BY  THE  RAINBOW. 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  IX.,  VER.  1 — 17.] 

And  God  bless'd  Noah  and  his  sons, 
Viewing  them  all,  as  precious  ones ; 
And  said,  "  Be  fruitful,  multiply — 
The  Earth  replenish  and  supply. 
On  beast  of  earth  and  fowl  of  air, 
Be  dread  of  you  and  wholesome  fear; 
And,  on  all  fishes  of  the  sea, 
Like  dread  of  you  shall  also  be; 


37 


E'en  all,  upon  the  Earth,  that  move, 
That  fear  of  you  alike  shall  prove  j 
All  shall  succumb  to  your  command — 
Deliver'd  all  into  your  hand. 
All  moving  things,  on  Earth  that  live, 
Into  your  hands,  %for  meat  I  give ; 
As  the  green  herb,  I  them  bestow, 
While  you  shall  dweH  on  Earth  below; 
But  flesh,  with  life  thereof  and  blood, 
Shall  ye  not  eat — 'tis  dang'rous  food. 
Blood  of  your  lives,  I  will  require, 
If  you  'gainst  other's  lives  conspire ; 
At  hand  of  beast  and  hand  of  man, 
Such  is  My  well-determin'd  plan. 
At'hand  of  each  man's  brother  too, 
The  life  of  man  I  hold  my  due, 
For,  whosoe'er  man's  blood  shall  shed, 
From  him  the  life-blood  shall  be  sped. 
For  in  God's  image  man  was  made, 
And  trod  forbids  the  murd'rer's  blade. 
No  man  henceforth  shall  murder  do, 
And  go,  like  Cain  and  Lamech  too, 
Unpunish'd  for  the  bloody  deed, 
But  murder  shall  for  murder  bleed." 


To  Noah  and  his  sons  God  spake — 

"  With  you,  My  covenant  I  make, 

And  with  all  else  of  human  seed, 

And  all  that  Earth  shall  henceforth  breed  ; 

With  cattle,  beast  and  creeping  thing, 

And  fowl,  that  cleave  the  air  with  wing, 

With  all,  that  with  you  disembark, 

With  all  that  issue  from  the  Ark ; 

With  you  My  covenant  shall  stand, 

No  more  shall  water  drown  the  land, 

Nor  flesh  be  cut  oif  any  more, 

By  flood,  that  leaves  the  Earth  no  shore; 

No  flood  will  I  again  employ,    . 

The  Earth  with  water  to  destroy." 


38 


God  said,  to  prove  His  mercy  sure, 

And  make  all  men  His  grace  adore, 

"  In  token  of  the  covenant, 

Which  I  to  man  now  freely  grant, 

And  to  all  living  creatures  too  ;  $ 

And. which  perpetual  I'll  renew; 

In  cloudy  canopy  I  set 

My  bow,  that  I  may  ne'er  forget, 

My  promise,  made  to  man  below, 

That  Earth -no  more  shall  flood  o'erflow. 

And  henceforth  be  this  pledge  avow'd, 

That,  when  o'er  Earth  I  bring  a  cloud, 

And  in  that  cloud  I  set  My  bow, 

All  radiant  with  prismatic  glow, 

My  cov'nant  I  remember  will, 

All  flesh  no  more  with  flood  to  kill ; 

That  covenant,  'tween  Me  and  you, 

I,  everlasting,  will  renew; 

Water  shall  be  a  flood  no  more 

Destruction  on  all  Earth  to  pour.  # 

And,  when  arch'd  in  the  cloud,  Mine  eye 

The  bow  of  promise  shall  descry, 

My  cov'nant  I  will  firmly  keep, 

And  Earth  sustain  against  the  deep. 

While  Earth  shall  on  its  axis  move, 

God  unto  man  shall  faithful  prove, 

He  never  will  again  embrace, 

In  ruin  wide,  the  human  race ; 

Never  again  will  He  employ 

All  flesh  a  deluge  to  destroy. " 

To  make  assurance  more  complete, 

God  then  to  Noah  did  repeat, 

"  This  is  the  sign,  in  rain-cloud  seen, 

Of  the  great  covenant,  between 

Me  and  all  flesh  upon  the  Earth. 

Such  as  its  everlasting  worth, 

That  Earth  with  life  shall  e'er  abound, 

Till  the  last  trump  Earth's  end  shall  sound, 


30 


And  man  shall  rise,  on  angel  wing, 
Where  angels  of  Redemption  sing." 


DOXOLOGY. 


Praise  God,  from  whom  all  blessings  flow, 
Praise  Him  all  creatures  here  below, 
Praise  Him  above,  ye  heav'nly  host, 
Praise  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost. 


PART  XL 

NOAH      AND      HIS      SONS. — THEY     REPLENISH      THE      EARTH. NOAH 

BEGINS     TO     BE     A     HUSBANDMAN,    AND    PLANTS    A    VINEYARD. 

NOAH  OVERCOME  BY  WINE,  AND  MOCKED  BY  HAM. NOAH    CURSES 

CANAAN,  THE    SON  OF    HAM;    BLESSES    SHEM    AND    JAPHETH  J    AND 
DIES.  . 

[GENESIS,  CHAP.  IX.,  VER.  18—29.] 

The  sons  of  Noah,  who  went  forth 

Out  of  the  Ark,  to  jpeople  Earth, 

Shem,  Ham  and  Japheth  were  their  names, 

And  Canaan  Ham  as  father  claims ; 

Each  of  a  household  was  the  head, 

Of  them  all  Earth  was  overspread. 

•And  Noah,  as  an  husbandman, 
Topfough  and  plant  the  Earth  began; 
And  soon  a  vineyard  he  did.m&ke. 
And  of  its  wine  too  much  partake. 
Drunk,  and  uncover'd,  in  his  tent, 
Thither  went  Ham,  irreverent ; 
His  father's  nakedness  there  saw, 
And,  in  sad  breach  of  filial  law, 
With  mocking  words,  profane  and  bold, 
The  story  to  his  brethren  told. 


•    40. 

Japheth  and  Shem  a  garment  took. 
Went  backward,  and  forbore  to  look ; 
The  garment  on  their  father  lay, 
Face,  backward  and  retrace  their  way  ; 
His  nakedness  by  them  unseen, 
Not  prying  they,  as  Ham  had  been. 

When  Noah  from  his  sleep  awoke, 

And  knew  what  If  am  had  done  and  spoke, 

A  curse  he  call'd  on  Canaan's  head, 

Cursing  Ham's  seed  in  Ham's  own  stead*; 

Iniquity,  by  God's  .decree, 

Falls  on  the  sinner's  progeny. 

"  Cursed  be  Canaan  !  "  God  then  said, 
"  My  vengeance  fall  upon  his  head ; 
Servant  of  servants  shall  he  be, 
And  to  his  brethren  bend  the  knee." 
"  Blessed  be  Shem,  in  his  Lord  God, 
Canaan  shall  serve  beneath  his  rod ; 
Japheth,  enlarged  by  God,  shall  dwell, 
In  tents  of  Shem — and  shall  excel — 
O'er  Europe  and  the  New  World  spread, 
By  Ham's  descendants,  cloth'd  and  fed." 


MORAL. 

In  giving  man  the  fruitful  vine, 
%o  cheer  his  heart  was  God's  design, 
With  temperance  to  quaff  its  juice, 
But  never  to  commit  abuse. 

When  Noah  drank  unto  excess, 
What  God  bestow'd  to  cheer  and  bless ; 
Th'  inord'nate  cup  contain'd  a  curse, 
Which  sacred  hist'ry  doth  rehearse  : 
The  lesson  was  with  warning  fraught, 
That  man  thus  early  might  be  taught, 
Intoxication  e'er  to  shun, 
,As  sin,  which  God  would  frown  upon — 


41 

A  fruitful  source  of  human  woe. 
Degrading  man  the  beast  below. 
Noah's  false  step  and  Ham's  fate  teach, 
Better  than  sermons  e'er  can  preach, 
That  drunkenness  will  never  fail 
On  generations  to  entail 
God's  anger  just,  and  man's  sad  doom 
Dishonored  aire,  or  early  tomb. 


DOXOLOGY. 

Glory  be  to  God  the  Father. 

Glory  to  the  eternal  Son, 
Sound  aloud  the  Spirit's  praises, 

Join  the  elders  round  the  throne. 
Hallelujah  ! 

Hail  the  glorious  Three  in  One. 

FINIS. 


. 


j. 


£        Noah,  after  the  flood,  longlived, 
Three  hundred  fifty  years  survived,* 
His  pilgrimage,  on  earth,  he  plitu     • 
Nine  hundred  fifty  years— and  died. 
Next  to  Methuselah,  in  age, 
When  8ummon'd  from  this  mortal  stage, 
In  Heav'a,  with  pray'r  and  tuneful  praise 
The  patriarchal  song  to  raise. 


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